Paris pharmacy a tourist attraction for Koreans

By Lee Ji-hye

A neighborhood pharmacy in Paris has become a must-visit attraction for Korean tourists, a French magazine reports.

At Pharmacie de Monge, nine out of 10 employees speak Korean because more than a third of its customers come from Korea, according to Le Monde newspaper’s “M” magazine.

Also referred to as “Mongjyu Yakuk” among Korean travel bloggers, the store’s popularity has been credited to its on-the-spot tax refunds and the 20,000 products to choose from.

Survey results from Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug safety showed last month that more than 70 percent of Korean women use at least 27 cosmetic products on average, while men use 13.

“The products are at least three times cheaper, and there is not much to choose from back home,” said a student named Eun-ji, 21, adding that Seoul salespeople were generally more aggressive.

Blogs mention that in addition to the language-friendly atmosphere for shoppers, the employees are much friendlier than those in Korea.

“The pharmacy became famous after a Korean journalist in Paris introduced the shop on a blog about 10 years ago,” explained owner Alexandre Freyburger, who has 44 years’ experience as a pharmacist.

Now, personal blogs also list the Paris pharmacy as one of the top places to visit in the area, giving advice on what to buy, how to get there, and smart ways to get a tax refund.

The pharmacy has had to expand its premises twice and extend its opening hours.